Capital punishment in Belarus, analytics, Petition against the Death Penalty in Belarus

Belarus is the last country in Europe and former Soviet Union that is still carrying out the death penalty. Amnesty International, Human Rights Centre “Viasna”, Belarusian Helsinki Committee and other human rights defenders in Belarus oppose the death penalty in all cases without exception. The death penalty is a violation of the right to life, guaranteed by the Constitution of Belarus and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Nothing can justify the purposeful and ruthless taking of a human life by State.

The death penalty is a destructive and divisive public policy that has been shown to have no special deterrent effect on crime. It distracts from effective measures being taken against criminality through promoting simplistic responses to complex human problems. It denies the possibility of rehabilitation and reconciliation. It prolongs the suffering of the murder victim’s family, and extends that suffering to the relatives of the condemned prisoner. Amnesty International, Human Rights Centre “Viasna”, Belarusian Helsinki Committee does not seek to belittle the suffering of the families of murder victims, and recognizes and endorses a government’s duty to protect the rights of all people under its jurisdiction. However, executions are a symptom of a culture of violence rather than a solution to it. By executing a person the state commits a premeditated killing and shows a similar readiness to use physical violence as the criminal.

In Belarus the use of the death penalty is compounded by a flawed criminal justice system that administers capital punishment in a manner that violates international laws and standards pertaining to the death penalty. There is credible evidence that torture and ill-treatment are used to extract “confessions”; condemned prisoners may not have access to effective appeal mechanisms; and the inherently cruel, inhuman and degrading nature of the death penalty is compounded for death row prisoners and their relatives by the secrecy surrounding the death penalty. Neither prisoners nor their families are told the execution date in advance and prisoners must live with the fear that every time their cell door opens they may be taken for execution.

We call on the President and Parliament of Belarus to immediately declare a moratorium on death sentences and executions as a first step towards full abolition of the death penalty.

The number of signatories 17 565

Name Country Date of fill
Birchmeier, Patrick Baden, CH 10.04.2011
Lang Sina Zurich, Switzerland 10.04.2011
Ulrich Rindlisbacher Bern, Switzerland 10.04.2011
Хведар Касцючэнка Менск 09.04.2011
Blanc Xavier Arnex, Switzerland 09.04.2011
Buttet Anne-Lise Martigny, Suisse 09.04.2011
Zingg Switzerland 09.04.2011
Rüsing, Anne Liestal, Switzerland 09.04.2011
Pascal Büsser Maseltrangen, Switzerland 09.04.2011
Бандарэнка Андрэй Менск 08.04.2011
ПАВЕЛ ЗМАГАР Дзятлава 08.04.2011
Stricker, Anouk Zürich, Switzerland 08.04.2011
annemarie kohler schweiz 08.04.2011
Johanna Sochos Utzenstorf, Switzerland 08.04.2011
Amstutz Pierre Corgémont, Switzerland 08.04.2011
Ecaterina Balan Chisinau 08.04.2011
Daniela Pencherek Lausanne, Switzerland 08.04.2011
Lutfi Urper switzerland 08.04.2011
Bobeico Doina Drochia 07.04.2011
bogdanov roman zurich, switzerland 07.04.2011
Святлана Гарохавік Менск 07.04.2011
Кнюпа Юлия Черкассы 07.04.2011
Katja Lobsiger Bern, Switzerland 07.04.2011
Epprecht,Katharina Berlin, Germany 06.04.2011
Дорин Русу Комрат 06.04.2011
Donu Galina Donduseni 06.04.2011
Marina Galadiuc Drochia 06.04.2011
Vitalie ENACHI CHISINAU 06.04.2011
Анастасия Данилова Кишинев 06.04.2011
Анна Душина Ухта 06.04.2011
Anne-Catherine Gaillard BArniske 1170 Aubonne Suisse 06.04.2011
Rotzinger, Daniel Lüdenscheid, germany 06.04.2011
Schranz, Irene Switzerland 06.04.2011
Alexandr Corinenco Chisinau 06.04.2011
Валерыя Бандарэнка Вільня 06.04.2011
Яна Русу Комрат 06.04.2011
3А КАЗНЬ!!! Киев 06.04.2011
Harry Joseph Weß Sevelten, Germany 06.04.2011
Fichtelhaber, Elisabeth Meppen, Deuschland 06.04.2011
Meier, Silvia Lausanne, Switzerland 06.04.2011
Lueckmann, Georg Osnabrueck, Germany 06.04.2011
Bernhardine Wess Sevelten, Germany 06.04.2011
Winkler, Anke Osnabrueck, Germany 06.04.2011
Brunnsteiner, Monika Salzburg-Aigen, Austria 06.04.2011
Maria Lueckmann Osnabrueck, Germany 06.04.2011
Stutz, Pierre Lausanne, Switzerland 06.04.2011
Wess, Harald Osnabrück, Germany 06.04.2011
Agnolini Claire CH 2833 Vellerat Suisse 05.04.2011
Malgorn Armanda Suisse 05.04.2011
Андрей Короткевич Минск 05.04.2011
Hub Zimmermann Elsllo, Limburg, Netherlands 05.04.2011
Anne, Märki Switzerland 05.04.2011
Denoth Erika Buchs Switzerland 05.04.2011
Koller Raineer 9630 Wattwil, Switzerland 04.04.2011
Bachofner, Katharina Romanshorn, Schweiz 04.04.2011
Александр Болезин Санкт-Петербург 04.04.2011
Amanda Prada Mendrisio, Switzerland 04.04.2011
Gerry, Meyer Zürich 04.04.2011
Laura Oxley Onex, Switzerland 04.04.2011
Frischknecht, Hans Eugen 3074 Muri, Switzerland 04.04.2011
Coline Sonney Payerne, Switzerland 04.04.2011
Sergii Telizhenko Lugansk, Ukraine 04.04.2011
Emmaneel, Ramon Belgium 04.04.2011
Vögele Petra Konstanz Germany 04.04.2011
Claudine da Silva Switzerland 04.04.2011
Zwicky Andrej Zürich,Schweiz 04.04.2011
Fontaine Charlotte Geneva, Switzerland 04.04.2011
Klauser Fabienne Switzerland 04.04.2011
guinnard sylvie switzerland 04.04.2011
Cristina Pereteatcu Chisinau, Republic of Moldova 04.04.2011
marwah sikandar geneva 04.04.2011
Ursula Bolli CH-8712 Stäfa Switzerland 03.04.2011
Tamara Robbiani Switzerland 03.04.2011
Christoph Börlin Münchenstein, Switzerland 03.04.2011
Ursula Fähndrich Basel, Switzerland 03.04.2011
Viande Marinette Switzerland 03.04.2011
Rohrbach Karin Switzerland 03.04.2011
Howald Ursula Basel Switzerland 03.04.2011
Glatz, Adrian Cham, Switzerland 03.04.2011
Nagloo-Chapatte Eliane Lausanne / switzerland 03.04.2011
Scheuermeier Angelika Wetzikon, Switzerland 03.04.2011
Irniger Markus Switzerland 03.04.2011
raemy marie-therese fribourg, switzerland 02.04.2011
Jeannette, Frey Stäfa, Switzerland 02.04.2011
Наталля Сэйер Хэлстан, Англiя 02.04.2011
Bernasconi Rino switzerland 02.04.2011
van minnen johan Weier, Switzerland 02.04.2011
Ahmeti Fedaije Suisse 02.04.2011
Юлия Сачук Киев 02.04.2011
Regine Baur-Guth Oslo, Norway 02.04.2011
Stöckli Simone Switzerland 02.04.2011
Дмитрий Аленичев КИЕВ 02.04.2011
Tschudi Rolf Zürich/Switzerland 02.04.2011
Frey Martin Zurich, Switzerland 02.04.2011
Bochmann, Mike Basel, Switzerland 02.04.2011
Hanna Mykolska Lviv 02.04.2011
Наталья Федорова Киев 02.04.2011
Charlotte Püttmann 34508 Willingen, Germany 02.04.2011
Наталля Чыгорская Менск 01.04.2011
Guarneri Silvio Baldegg, Schweiz 01.04.2011

Sign the petition